H.R. 7365House118th Congress (2023-2025)Enacted

VETS Safe Travel Act

Introduced February 15, 2024

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 2:46 PM UTC

The VETS Safe Travel Act expands the TSA PreCheck program to include certain severely injured or disabled veterans at no cost. It defines eligibility based on service‑connected disabilities that cause loss of an extremity, paralysis, or permanent blindness and require a wheelchair, prosthetic, or other assistive device. The bill directs the TSA and the VA to set up a process for enrollment within a year and to report on implementation to congressional committees.

Key Provisions

  • Allows veterans with service‑connected loss of an extremity, paralysis, or permanent blindness who need a wheelchair, prosthetic, or other assistive device to receive TSA PreCheck free if they meet standard background checks.
  • Requires the TSA Administrator to implement the enrollment process for these veterans within one year, subject to funding, without raising fees.
  • Mandates joint briefings to the House and Senate Homeland Security and Veterans' Affairs committees on implementation status within one year and a separate briefing within 180 days on outreach and additional improvements.
  • Directs the VA and TSA to conduct outreach to inform disabled veterans about TSA programs and to work with veterans service organizations to assess awareness and explore further travel security enhancements.
  • Requires the VA and TSA to examine the feasibility of additional measures to improve travel security procedures for disabled veterans.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

22 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 118-238.

January 4, 2025

View full timeline
HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 15, 2024

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

February 15, 2024

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.

February 15, 2024

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.

February 29, 2024

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Discharged

September 25, 2024

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

September 25, 2024

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

September 25, 2024

HouseCommittee

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Homeland Security. H. Rept. 118-846, Part I.

December 10, 2024

HouseCommittee

Committee on Veterans' Affairs discharged.

December 10, 2024

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 691.

December 10, 2024

HouseFloor

Mr. Green (TN) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

December 10, 2024 • 3:19 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6566-6568)

December 10, 2024 • 3:19 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7365.

December 10, 2024 • 3:19 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6566-6567)

December 10, 2024 • 3:26 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H6566-6567)

December 10, 2024 • 3:26 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

December 10, 2024 • 3:26 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

December 11, 2024

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.

December 19, 2024

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7223)

December 19, 2024

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

December 20, 2024

President

Presented to President.

December 27, 2024

Became Law

Signed by President.

January 4, 2025

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 118-238.

January 4, 2025

Floor Debate

5 members

What members said about H.R. 7365 on the floor

3 Republicans2 Democrats
Patrick T. McHenry
Rep. Patrick T. McHenryR-NC-10 · Dec 24, 2024

Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk of the House, reported and found truly enrolled bills of the House of the following titles, which were thereupon signed by the Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McHenry, on Friday,…

Paul A. Gosar
Rep. Paul A. GosarR-AZ-9 · Dec 10, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Green for yielding. Mr. Speaker, my great State of Arizona is home to over 450,000 veterans, and nearly 30 percent of those veterans live with a disability. My…

Yvette D. Clarke
Rep. Yvette D. ClarkeD-NY-9 · Dec 10, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, during this era of partisanship and discord, there is one issue on which I hope we can all agree: that veterans who are disabled…

Mark E. Green
Rep. Mark E. GreenR-TN-7 · Dec 10, 2024

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7365) to provide PreCheck to certain severely injured or disabled veterans, and for other purposes, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I ask…

Michael F. Bennet
Sen. Michael F. BennetD-CO · Dec 19, 2024

Mr. President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 7365 and the Senate…

Bill Text

6 versions available

Reading Mode
Latest
Enrolled BillPublication date not provided

One Hundred Eighteenth Congress of the United States of America

At the Second Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-four

H. R. 7365

AN ACT

To provide PreCheck to certain severely injured or disabled veterans, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Veterans Expedited TSA Screening Safe Travel Act or the VETS Safe Travel Act.

2.

Availability of PreCheck Program to certain severely injured or disabled veterans

(a)

In general

Section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(g)

Availability of PreCheck Program to certain severely injured or disabled veterans

(1)

In general

A veteran described in paragraph (2) is eligible for security screening under the PreCheck Program under section 44919 at no cost to the veteran if the veteran is able to meet the background check and other security requirements for participation in the Program.

(2)

Veterans described

A veteran described in this paragraph is a veteran who—

(A)

is enrolled in the patient enrollment system of the Department of Veterans Affairs established and operated under section 1705 of title 38, United States Code;

(B)

has been determined by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to have a service-connected disability under section 1110 or 1131 of such title, as the case may be, and such disability has been determined by such Secretary to have resulted in—

(i)

loss, or loss use of, an extremity;

(ii)

paralysis or partial paralysis; or

(iii)

permanent blindness; and

(C)

as a result of a loss, paralysis or partial paralysis, or blindness described in subparagraph (B), requires the use of a wheelchair, prosthetic limb, or other assistive device to aid with mobility.

(3)

Limitation

The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall carry out this subsection subject to the availability of appropriations and may not increase fees for enrollment in the PreCheck Program for such purpose.

.

(b)

Coordination on implementation

The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall jointly—

(1)

implement a process under which a veteran described in paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of section 44927 of title 49, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), can receive the benefits under such subsection by not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act; and

(2)

provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a briefing on the status of implementing the process required by paragraph (1) by not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(c)

Outreach for disabled veterans on availability of Transportation Security Administration programs

(1)

Coordination

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall implement a process under which such Secretary provides to disabled veterans effective outreach regarding Transportation Security Administration programs designed to improve the screening process for passengers with disabilities.

(2)

Further enhancements To ease air travel for wounded warriors and other disabled veterans

Notwithstanding subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Paperwork Reduction Act), or any other provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in coordination with the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, shall—

(A)

engage appropriate veterans service organizations and other relevant organizations, as appropriate, to assess the awareness of veterans of relevant Transportation Security Administration programs; and

(B)

examine the need and feasibility of other measures to improve travel security procedures for disabled veterans.

(3)

Briefing requirement

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall jointly provide to the Committee on Homeland Security and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs of the Senate a briefing on the status of the implementation of paragraphs (1) and (2).

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate.